How to Draw Animals

While there is no secret method to help an artist draw an animal. there are techniques one can use, to draw any type of animal. Simple sketches of animals can be practised by anyone. Unless you actually know what is under the fur or feathers of that animal, a truly realistic drawing of that animal may be hard to create. Understanding and knowing the anatomy of the animal that you are attempting to draw, is essential.

Aspects to Bear in Mind for Drawing Animals

Keep the following pointers in mind before attempting to draw animals.

familiarity with human bone and muscle structure

drawing the animal’s frame

three-dimensional nature of images

familiarity with human bone and muscle structure: If you are not familiar with the human bone and muscle structure, now may not be the best time for you to move onto drawing animals. In many ways, the anatomy of most 4-legged mammals can be compared to that of a human. Both the animal and human structure is alike except for the animals shoulders, which seem to hang from their spine. It is a requirement for all arts majors in college to take some sort of anatomy course as this will allow them to study human and animal anatomy at a bone, muscle, joint and skin level. Piecing these layers together, an artist can realistically lay out an animal’s body with proper joint movements, muscle mass, and top that with skin, scales, fur or feathers to make the animals appearance realistic and beautiful.

drawing the animal’s frame: The first step to draw an animal would be to draw its frame. When an amateur artist begins drawing, they are often misled into using tactics that will only hamper their development. A common mistake made by artists while drawing animals is to use a grid system to draw an animal with preset guides. For someone that has never drawn an animal before, this can make the process seem very simple. However, this can make the animal appear very flat.

three-dimensional nature of images: A general goal of art is to make an image come alive on the page. This is why an artist must think three-dimensionally while drawing animals. Using building block techniques, drawing a basic bone frame or even using sticks and lines to represent how the final animal drawing will be posed is something that can help an artist to achieve this goal.

There are so many animals to choose from, that an artist may become frustrated and anxious as he / she constantly tries to draw new animals. Having something to compare an animal’s anatomy to, like a human body structure, will help greatly. Knowing what bones go where and which way the joints bend will be essential, and employing tried and tested artist techniques will make an artist’s animal images, come alive on paper. With these tips and a little studying, you could begin by trying to draw your favorite species today!